Rants: Readers on GPS Revolution, Penny Pinching, Inhumane Society

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Rants: Readers on GPS Revolution, Penny Pinching, Inhumane Society

Re: Decoding Beatrice____We knew our readers were smart and attractive, but we didn't realize you were such dutiful citizens and privacy nuts. The crowd shook its collective finger at our mention of a location-based iPhone app that reports on police traps, citing the perils of speeding. And your expressions of horror at a writer's experience living la vida local showed that many of you would not like to have devices tracking you 24/7. We're not sure whether your spouses should be proud of your conscientiousness or suspicious of your paranoia.

FeedbackFebruary story topics that elicited the most reader response.A Digital CrutchAfter reading "Inside the GPS Revolution" (issue 17.02), I realized that GPS is turning people into idiots. You need it to hail a cab, find a toilet, and wake yourself up? Are we becoming so narcissistic in our own little technological wombs that we can't do simple everyday tasks? Do we need an app to tell us to eat? To breathe? To take a dump? This isn't an advance; it's pathetic.Kevin HallBristol, Virginia

I was disappointed that you downplayed the potential dark side of GPS. What if spouses, bosses, and the government could track one's every move? What if there were a law requiring every child to have a GPS tracking device implanted at birth? What if potential blackmailers or assassins could pinpoint the location of executives and other leaders? I would have hoped that futurists like you might provide an alternative to the usual rah-rah gushing.Leo LevinsonJenkintown, Pennsylvania

With Liberty and Access for AllI was surprised and disappointed to see accessibility requirements grouped with the "obstacles" blocking President Obama's plan to "transform the way the White House connects with the public" ("America Online," issue 17.02). Please don't play into the discriminatory idea that it somehow impedes progress to design and code pages so that they're reasonably available to all citizens. The article's attitude toward accessibility standards—and by extension toward citizens with disabilities—violates the spirit fostered by the man we chose as president.Jeremy PriceWaltham, Massachusetts

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Average price of products in TestPenny PinchingWe hear the economy sucks. We also hear readers are bummed out by our focus on "pricey" gadgets. Truth is, the average price of the products reviewed varies wildly—from $458 last June to, um, $56,256 in October. (That's when we test drove a Bentley, a Ferrari, and a Lamborghini. Sorry about that; our Motor editor was trying to impress a date.) Good news, fair and impoverished readers! The Test section has heard and answered your cries. Check out this issue's all-recession edition. Average price: a modest $154.

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New Poseurism"The Art Factory" (issue 17.02) was interesting, but I'm sorry: Subcontracting with a "factory" to create "art" just goes to show you what suckers some people can be. Sure, the masters used apprentices to help slap together big canvases, but that doesn't make the practice legit. If you call yourself an artist you really ought to be able to do the work yourself—even if you don't. Nigel Schofield and his kind are the real creative talents.Joe McGinnesHummelstown, Pennsylvania

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All Googly-EyedHooray for Microsoft! Why should Google get away with providing all sorts of shoddy free services paid for by advertisers ("The Plot to Kill Google," issue 17.02)? I prefer to spend my dollars on a safe, stable, secure, free-from-annoyance product like Vista!Excerpted from a comment posted on Wired.com by bbbaldie

Yes, Google is not as squeaky clean as it used to be, and its "Don't be evil" motto may be slightly blemished. But compared with Microsoft and AT&T, Google still comes across as a knight in shining armor. It'll be a sad future indeed if Google is defeated by companies like these.Aaron MoodieMelbourne, Australia

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Inhumane SocietyRegarding "Torture Me Elmo" (Start Essay, issue 17.02): A robot is a machine, and as with any property, the owner can choose to do whatever he or she wants with it. If you spend your time blowing up Tickle Me Elmo dolls, it proves that you're immature and like to waste money.

Technically, no organisms have "rights" except what our brains formulate for societal, self- preservation, or emotional reasons. We don't have to decide about this new set of ethics until robots become much more intelligent and human-like.Excerpted from a comment posted on Wired.com by MadPutz

Most human rights aren't even enforced. Maybe we should start treating our own species with the consideration you're talking about giving to our manufactured objects.Excerpted from a comment posted on Wired.com by pzlgrl

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Cup Size MattersWhoever researched, wrote, and edited "Belle Curves" (Infoporn, issue 17.02) was apparently neither female nor a heterosexual male. [One of each, actually. -Ed.] They displayed not only a lack of bra-size knowledge but a lack of interest as well. The article notes that although bust sizes are falling, cup sizes have remained the same—suggesting that breast size has been increasing. But bra cup volume is directly proportional to the band (and bust) size. A 30C cup has less volume than a 32C cup. In fact, a 30D cup is the same volume as a 36A cup. So to properly interpret the data that bust sizes have been shrinking while cup sizes have stayed the same just means that Playboy models' breasts have remained relatively proportional to their bust measurements.Excerpted from a comment posted by Ninestone

Am I the only one who realized you can see Miss April 1967's breast hanging out? I bet this was missed censorship. I wonder how many complaint letters came from this.Excerpted from a comment posted on Wired.com by flyryan

Number of complaints received: zero. -Ed.

Grabbed your mag and almost got punched by the guy who was holding it. Ripped open the plastic with my teeth and nearly suffocated because I inhaled. Suffered several paper cuts getting to page 36. What's my reward? Disappointment. Couldn't you have at least made the pictures of the Playmates bigger than my ... thumb?Mike LetoMontgomery, Illinois

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High Seas-jinksSome of you were excited about Patri Friedman's plot to build a freewheeling utopia in the middle of the ocean; others, well, less so. Remind us not to tell you about our plans to buy a bridge in Manhattan.

Not too impressed with Mr. Friedman's ambition to dot the high seas with libertarian havens. ("Live Free or Drown," issue 17.02). Pretentious and profligate boondoggles in the name of freedom.Richard DrautVenice, California

This is utopia? And the best ideas they seem to come up with are money, drugs, guns, and fucking? Sounds like every other society to me. Oh, right: on a boat.Excerpted from a comment posted on Wired.com by FiendishGhoul

Well ... good luck with that!Excerpted from a comment posted on Wired.com by papajon0s1

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The Cable GuiseI had Comcast Internet service for three years ("The Dark Lord of Broadband," issue 17.02). On average it was down two to three times a month. Comcast's customer service was horrendous: Technicians never showed up or didn't know what they were doing, support reps never knew where the techs were, and support tickets were closed before anything was fixed. My speed never reached 1 megabit per second.

In the two years since I switched to a smaller company, I've had 8-megabit speed and no outages, all for 60 percent less a month. I will go without Internet and TV before I ever, ever go back to Comcast.Excerpted from a comment posted on Wired.com by jaguarxjs

Oh, please: Americans are complaining about a 250-GB cap, but that's above international standards. In Belgium, I have a 25-GB cap, which is considered to be upper-middle class, for 40 euros a month. Even the alternatives don't go much higher than 100 GB. The "unlimited" options are rare and have a strange "fair use" policy, which makes you wonder just how unlimited they are. Even with online video, even with HD video, 250 GB should suffice for heavy Internet users.

Excerpted from a comment posted on Wired.com by jonathanh*

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The Wisdom of Crowds?Regarding Clive Thompson's "Manufacturing Confusion" (Start, issue 17.02): Wikipedia does not build "real knowledge through consensus" any more than religion or politics do. Please don't confuse agreement among people—even after vigorous debate—as the attainment of real knowledge. Thanks to consensus, the earth was flat and located at the center of the universe for way too long.Barry BergerMission, Texas

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